Dianne Feinstein opposes new Iran sanctions

Dianne Feinstein might be bucking President Barack Obama on health care, but she’s got the administration’s back on Iran.

The Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman said on Friday that she will “strongly oppose” any move to impose new sanctions on the Islamic Republic while Secretary of State John Kerry tries to negotiate a diplomatic solution with Iran. Kerry is pushing Iran to scale back its nuclear program in return for a temporary reprieve on sanctions but has yet to seal the deal.

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Senators in both parties, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), are itching to join the House and slap a new round sanctions on Iran during the consideration of the defense authorization bill as soon as next week. But Feinstein (D-Calif.) said now is not the time.

“Tacking new sanctions onto the defense authorization bill or any other legislation would not lead to a better deal. It would lead to no deal at all,” Feinstein said. “I am baffled by the insistence of some senators to undermine” negotiations among Western leaders and Iran.

The Obama administration has furiously lobbied Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) to hold off on a sanctions bill and allowing Iran amendments until after the next round of negotiations begin on Nov. 20.